Cousins In Love: An Alpha Bad Boy Romance (Book 3) (36 page)

"Roman."

"Yes."

"Why won't you touch me?"

"What are you talking about. I just gave you the best orgasm of your life."
 

He wraps a towel around my shoulders, which drapes over my breasts, almost as if he wants to hide them from his line of sight, while he figures out how to take the cast protector off of my leg.

"I'm not the Virgin Mary. So why are you handling me with kid gloves? I have had sex before you know. Plenty of it!" I try to yell at him but it's difficult, because my vocal chords are still somewhat sore and that bloody loud orgasm I just had didn't help matters.

"I'm trying to be good, Elizabeth. I told you just a taste. Don't push me."

"Good for what?"

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine. I have a broken leg."

"It's selfish."

"What is?"

"Sex is a very physical act. It's selfish of me to push you when you're hurt like this. We shouldn't have even done that shit we just did in the shower."

"You are aware that this cast has to stay on for
eight
weeks right?"

I see a flicker of something pass through his eyes.

"I'm aware."

"So we aren't going to have sex, real sex, for eight weeks? Is that what you're saying?"

"That's what I'm saying."

And now I want to strangle him. I don't think I can last two months without having sex with Roman. Not if we're living in the same city. On the same planet. Breathing the same air. I might spontaneously combust. Then he'll have to explain to my parents why there are bits of me all over his penthouse walls. Ugh!

"I'm dry now," I say seething. "Hand me my crutches please."

"Here," he says seemingly amused by my sour mood. "Oh by the way, we're going out later."

"Most couples stay in and have sex on New Years Eve." I deadpan.

He laughs out loud. Usually one of my favorite sounds ever, but right now not so much.

"No, Duchess. Most people bring in the new year by going out and partying. So go get pretty."

I wasn't in the mood to do all that it required to
get pretty
, but I also didn't want to spend New Years Eve in the house either. I already missed Thanksgiving and Christmas in the hospital and rehabilitation center. I didn't want to bring in the new year reading a book on my Kindle while he was in bed dreaming about dancing M&Ms.

"Can I invite Sloan?"

"I just want it to be the two of us."

Why am I not surprised that he doesn't want my best friend to tag along.

"Fine," I agree angrily.

I swear by this time next week, I'm going to be back in my own house and my own bed. I've got a long standing date with my battery operated boyfriend, and he doesn't care if I have a broken leg or try to draw out my orgasms. In fact, my battery operated boyfriend likes to get me there as fast as he can. Especially if he has a fresh set of double A batteries!

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

ROMAN

"I can't believe we're going to this place tonight."
 

"Maybe your New Year's resolution should be to broaden your horizons," I say to Cam on my speaker phone.
 

I just picked up Mr. Tibbs from the groomers, and I think he's pissed at me. He hates getting his nails trimmed, and he's just sitting in the passenger seat with what I swear is a scowl.

"If this is what comes with broadening my horizons, then I'm all good. Thanks anyway."

Cam is the only one I've told where I want to bring in the new year tonight and why. Well he and Jade, and that's only because I needed her help to orchestrate the whole thing. God knows it wasn't easy. I've planned blackmail schemes that were easier to pull off than this.

"You know you're going to eventually have to go to Miami," I say to him.

"I can handle all my shit for Kat from behind a computer in Philadelphia. What the hell do I need to go to Miami for?"

"She needs to meet you at least. She's not going to pay someone she's never met. You should have come to the gala, then you could have knocked it out then."

"She knows you."

"You went to Baltimore right?"

"This again."

"I'm just saying."

"So this Kat chick will funnel us the type of work we like right?"

"Absolutely. Miami is a cesspool. They're all on drugs and fucked up. We'll have plenty of messes to clean up for her. She already has two situations for us to work."

"Cool. This sounds like just what we need."

"It is. She's good people."

"Maybe I'll figure out a weekend me and Cutt can shoot down there with you."

"Good. You know with all that's happened, I didn't get a chance to say–"

"You better not be opening up your mouth to say thanks or some stupid shit like that."

"Cam–"

"We did what we always do, Rome. Shit is never fifty-fifty between us. This time me and Cutt handled things. Next time it will probably be you. We've never said thank you to each other before, and we don't need to start now."

"I had more on the line than usual though, brother."

"I know that and we did what had to be done. It's over. Forget about those two motherfuckers, and concentrate on what's in front of you. The good shit you have going on with Elizabeth. That's rare, man. Enjoy it."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sounds like you're going to ask something stupid with or without my permission."

"I just want to know what happened in Baltimore and what Jade has to do with it."

"That's two questions."

"Whatever is going down, and however strong she may appear to be now, I need you to remember the land of fucked up she came from. So don't mess with her head."

"Not your business, Rome."

"I know it's not, but I'm asking you anyway. She's important to me. To all of us."

"I was there too you know. I remember exactly what Jade went through, and I'm a little offended that you think I don't have better shit to do than to fuck with her head."

"I'm not saying that you'd do it on purpose, but shit happens. Right, brother?"

I'm referring to a trail of heartbroken women Camden has left in his wake. Where I was the type that slept with a different woman every night, Camden is a serial dater, which in my opinion is worse. At least my women knew what they were getting with me. One night only. With Camden, they saw marriage, babies, and forever after in their futures, and it wasn't always their fault.

"I'll see you tonight, Rome."

"Remember what I said."

Then the asshole hung up on me.

I was just about to call him back and tear him a new asshole when another call comes in.

"It's me."

The old man.

"Hey."

"How's our girl?"

"She's doing good, but I'm sure you know that already. Juliette calls like every other minute for an update."

"Well it's like you have Elizabeth on some sort of lock down over there. She's just being a good aunt and making sure her niece is begin well taken care of."

"As if I'd do anything less. Hey you guys kept her away from me while she was in the hospital, so it's only fair I get her to myself now."

"I guess."

"You coming tonight?"

"I'm coming."

"I know you don't approve."

"I'm coming anyway."

There's a pregnant pause over the line. One of us has to say something.

"Should we talk about the letter?" I ask.

"I don't have anything to say about it."

"You didn't want me to see it."

"No I didn't, but as usual you've made it a point to get your way."

"Why didn't you want me to read it?"

"She's a shitty mother, that's why."

"I already knew that."

"And I didn't want you to think that the fact that I'm not your biological father changes things. It doesn't."

"And you're sure that you aren't?"

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't hoping that my mother was wrong or lying. Joseph is the only father I've known.

"Yeah, I had us tested a long time ago. Way before you came to live with me. Stole some of your hair when I dropped off some money. I've known most of your life."

What. The. Fuck.

"Why didn't you tell me, or better yet, why did you do it? Why raise me?"

"That neighborhood would have swallowed you up whole like all the boys before you. I'm not dead inside, Roman. I couldn't leave the block and not try to save someone besides myself. So it made total sense that it would be you. Give or take a week, you actually could have been mine. It's just that some other man beat me to it."

"Does she know that you know?"

"No. I thought if she knew that I was aware you weren't mine that she would hold it over me. That she'd try to come back in our lives at some point and threaten to take you back or extort me for money. I wouldn't put it past her. Especially when she was acting nuts. Which I didn't know back then, but must have been the times when she was manic. But anyway, I let her believe she was pulling something over on me. It made things easier."

"Did Juliette know?"

"No. It's part of the reason why I'm taking her around the world. She's mad as hell at me."

"I didn't think you ever lied to Juliette."

"I don't usually. Just about this one thing. I had my reasons."

"So that whole story you told me before. Not wanting me and then finally stepping up? I still don't get it."

"That part was true. For a time, I thought I was your father and I didn't want to be anyone's father. I was too busy trying to make a name for myself. To build a life that would be so far removed from the old neighborhood that people there would barely remember my name. Your mother was beautiful and fun, but we were never supposed to form a lifetime connection. I didn't want connections to that place. You were a connection.
 

"When I decided to have you tested, it was because I heard from a few people that she'd been seeing another man the same time I had been. Someone regularly. A guy she hadn't told me about for obvious reasons. He'd long disappeared from the neighborhood, so the minute I discovered you weren't mine, I thought I could help you by at least giving your mother money to raise you right. Send you to a better school. Enroll you in extracurriculars. But I learned pretty soon that your mother was incapable of holding up her end, and like I said, while it took me a minute, I finally stepped up and got you out of there. You not being mine biologically didn't factor into the decision."

"Really, because you've been tough as shit on me, Joseph. Don't you think it might be because we're not related? Maybe you resented me a little?"

"Hell, no. I've been tough on you, because it was all I knew how to be. It was the only way I knew how to save you. How to raise you. How to keep you safe. I'm your father in every way that counts, and I did a damn good job of it. I won't apologize for any of it. I'll be the best grandfather that I can be too."

And that was it. All I ever wanted from the old coot.
 

Validation. Acceptance.
 

"Are you planning on looking for her?" he asks me about my mother.

"Don't you know exactly where she is?"

He pauses.

"I do."

"I don't plan on it. I think this conversation we just had is all the closure I need. No need to open up that can of worms."

"I don't think anything good could come of it, but she is your mother, and you do have the right."

I decide not to acknowledge his last statement, and just say my good-byes.

"See you tonight, old man."

"All right, son, see you then."

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

ELIZABETH

To: Elizabeth Hill

From: Henry Lambert

Re: School Bucks

Dear Miss Hill,

I just wanted to follow up personally on our conversation from the night of the Autism Alliance Gala. I'd love for us to meet about a possible source of funding that might work for your app expansion. Let's pencil in a time during the second week of January. Call Daniella and she'll set it all up. Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Henry Lambert

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

ELIZABETH

"Elizabeth, are you ready?"

Roman calls out for me from the kitchen, but I can't stop staring at my phone long enough to respond. I keep reading and rereading the email, resulting in a permanent grin across my face, because Roman says something about it as soon as he comes looking for me.